Roakore, coming upon them. “I say we take ʼem by storm.”
The dwarf king cocked an eyebrow toward Whill. “Unless ye be wantin’ to bomb ʼem back to the hells as before.”
Whill avoided the suggestion, having no idea how the Other had wrought such devastation down upon the Draggard horde.
“ We cannot risk damaging the portal; it is our only way home,” said Whill.
Walking to the crest of the hill, he peered over at Eadon’s forces. When he realized the Draggard army numbered many times more than the dwarves and elves combined, he refused to let it affect his resolve. When he returned to the others, they waited in quiet anticipation of his words. He shook his head, at a loss.
“ I don’t know if Eadon is there. I cannot sense him,” said Whill.
“ If he be, then so be it, I ain’t for hidin’ out in this gods-forsaken land,” Roakore proclaimed.
Zerafin scowled at such words against his homeland, and Roakore did not miss the expression. “Meanin’ no offense,” he said, slamming his chest.
The elf king nodded understanding and turned to Whill. “What do you suggest?” he asked.
“ I would see a promise kept,” said Whill.
He had asked Kellallea to help them against the dark elves, and meant to hold her to it. Closing his eyes, he focused his consciousness down into the hard-packed earth. He connected with the essence of Keye and called to the ancient one.
H e knelt and put a hand to the ground. The dirt around his hand began to vibrate, causing small stones to jump sporadically. Whill stood and dusted his hands off.
“ She will come,” Whill said confidently, though he was not convinced entirely.
Roakore turned from Whill to Zerafin, and then to Avriel expectantly. “Who’s she ?” he asked.
“ Kellallea, the ancient,” said Whill.
Roakore threw up his hands with a huff, turned a circle as he shook his head, and squared back on Whill. “That crazy old elf ain’t gonna be o’ no help. She be thinkin’ the prophecy be a lie, she ain’t right that one.”
“ The prophecy is a lie,” Whill told him. “She spoke the truth, though she has motives of her own. I have discovered the truth about her. There is no need for her to feign weakness.”
“ Why have you not spoken of this until now?” asked Zerafin.
“ We have come to an understanding. It is between her and I.” said Whill.
“ She best not be takin’ all day then,” said Roakore, resting an elbow and leaning upon his axe.
A low rumbling began deep within the earth. The spot where Whill had touched the ground began to vibrate and heave. They backed from the spot and watched expectantly as the heaving subsided. A flash of light caused them to turn their heads away, and, when they looked again, she stood before them.
“ Kellallea,” Zerafin gasped, and fell to his knees. Every other elf nearby fell to their knees. Avriel, however, did not greet her as she had before. She, like Roakore and Whill, remained standing.
The ancient elf gazed out on the elven army with eyes of bright green. Her short hair grew into long tubers resembling reaching roots. She wore a garment of moss and leaf, flower and vine, which left much of her dark skin bare in the sunlight. Around her bare feet, grass and vine grew and radiated with life.
“ Zerafin, son of Verelas,” she said, laying a hand upon his bowed head. She cocked her head, and a smile crept across her face. “Rise, first King of Elladrindellia.”
Her gaze fell upon Avriel, who still refused to kneel. Avriel averted the powerful elf’s gaze, and stood her ground stubbornly.
“ Do you sense Eadon?” Whill asked.
Kellallea lingered long on Avriel. “No,” she finally answered. “He is not here in Drindellia.”
“ He must’ve gone through one o’ the rifts,” said Roakore.
Whill hummed agreement. “And he knows they have been closed. He is likely making all haste to reach the last portal’s twin in Del’Oradon."
“ Or, he be waiting just on the other
The dwarf king cocked an eyebrow toward Whill. “Unless ye be wantin’ to bomb ʼem back to the hells as before.”
Whill avoided the suggestion, having no idea how the Other had wrought such devastation down upon the Draggard horde.
“ We cannot risk damaging the portal; it is our only way home,” said Whill.
Walking to the crest of the hill, he peered over at Eadon’s forces. When he realized the Draggard army numbered many times more than the dwarves and elves combined, he refused to let it affect his resolve. When he returned to the others, they waited in quiet anticipation of his words. He shook his head, at a loss.
“ I don’t know if Eadon is there. I cannot sense him,” said Whill.
“ If he be, then so be it, I ain’t for hidin’ out in this gods-forsaken land,” Roakore proclaimed.
Zerafin scowled at such words against his homeland, and Roakore did not miss the expression. “Meanin’ no offense,” he said, slamming his chest.
The elf king nodded understanding and turned to Whill. “What do you suggest?” he asked.
“ I would see a promise kept,” said Whill.
He had asked Kellallea to help them against the dark elves, and meant to hold her to it. Closing his eyes, he focused his consciousness down into the hard-packed earth. He connected with the essence of Keye and called to the ancient one.
H e knelt and put a hand to the ground. The dirt around his hand began to vibrate, causing small stones to jump sporadically. Whill stood and dusted his hands off.
“ She will come,” Whill said confidently, though he was not convinced entirely.
Roakore turned from Whill to Zerafin, and then to Avriel expectantly. “Who’s she ?” he asked.
“ Kellallea, the ancient,” said Whill.
Roakore threw up his hands with a huff, turned a circle as he shook his head, and squared back on Whill. “That crazy old elf ain’t gonna be o’ no help. She be thinkin’ the prophecy be a lie, she ain’t right that one.”
“ The prophecy is a lie,” Whill told him. “She spoke the truth, though she has motives of her own. I have discovered the truth about her. There is no need for her to feign weakness.”
“ Why have you not spoken of this until now?” asked Zerafin.
“ We have come to an understanding. It is between her and I.” said Whill.
“ She best not be takin’ all day then,” said Roakore, resting an elbow and leaning upon his axe.
A low rumbling began deep within the earth. The spot where Whill had touched the ground began to vibrate and heave. They backed from the spot and watched expectantly as the heaving subsided. A flash of light caused them to turn their heads away, and, when they looked again, she stood before them.
“ Kellallea,” Zerafin gasped, and fell to his knees. Every other elf nearby fell to their knees. Avriel, however, did not greet her as she had before. She, like Roakore and Whill, remained standing.
The ancient elf gazed out on the elven army with eyes of bright green. Her short hair grew into long tubers resembling reaching roots. She wore a garment of moss and leaf, flower and vine, which left much of her dark skin bare in the sunlight. Around her bare feet, grass and vine grew and radiated with life.
“ Zerafin, son of Verelas,” she said, laying a hand upon his bowed head. She cocked her head, and a smile crept across her face. “Rise, first King of Elladrindellia.”
Her gaze fell upon Avriel, who still refused to kneel. Avriel averted the powerful elf’s gaze, and stood her ground stubbornly.
“ Do you sense Eadon?” Whill asked.
Kellallea lingered long on Avriel. “No,” she finally answered. “He is not here in Drindellia.”
“ He must’ve gone through one o’ the rifts,” said Roakore.
Whill hummed agreement. “And he knows they have been closed. He is likely making all haste to reach the last portal’s twin in Del’Oradon."
“ Or, he be waiting just on the other
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